Clockwork Alchemist
by The Lord of All Chaos
Summary: The day I stopped aging was the day that everything went wrong. I had given up so much and gained so little. But that's when I learn the truth of value, and what little I had left, what little I had gained suddenly meant the world to me. That's not to say that what I had lost didn't mean any less. Far from it. It meant I had to fight harder to get back what I had lost.
1. Chapter 1

**The Clockwork Alchemist**

**The Lord of All Chaos**

Chapter One

_The day I stopped aging was the day that everything went wrong. I had never though that I could up so much in order to gain so little. But that's when I learnt the truth of value, and what little I had left, what little I had gained, suddenly meant the world to me. That's not say that what I lost didn't mean less. Far from it. It meant I had to fight harder and harder still in order to get back what I had lost._

Knowledge is what I sought. All that I looked for now was the greatest knowledge that an alchemist could learn. It was what I craved. I needed knowledge. I needed to know everything an alchemist could know. Over ten years of experience and I still felt like a novice. Deep down I knew I was more than just a novice. I was a failure.

I looked up at the mansion. The home of the late Shou Tucker. This was the next stop on my tour of knowledge. To learn from the man who had made a talking Chimera would have been a great advancement in my studies even though what he had done was unforgiveable. However, seeing as though the man was dead, going through his books would be the next best thing. Hopefully the State Military hadn't alleviated the property of anything I could have used. That would be just my luck.

The front door was locked tight, but I wasn't one for front doors anyway. I wandered around the property looking for the weakest point of possible entry. I found it in a boarded up window. It was a ground floor window with only a few boards covering it up. A simple running jump would fix that. I set my suitcase down and slipped my rucksack off of my back.

I pulled the small wooden figurine out of my pocket and looked at it briefly. I carried it everywhere, no exceptions. I caressed the face with a single finger. I had made it myself. Not with a piece of wood and a knife, whittling away small slivers to make a tiny figurine. No I had used alchemy to create this tiny masterpiece.

I squeezed the figurine tightly.

No more mistakes.

I set the figurine down carefully on the top of my suitcase. Then I returned my focus to the window. It didn't seem as daunting as it had before. I took a deep breath, took one step back and ran at it head on. I leapt into the air, my arms covering my face and head. I tucked my knees in a waited for impact.

I didn't have to wait long. I smashed through tinder and glass in a monumental crash. I rolled on the floor and uncurled from the tight ball I had made myself into. I checked myself for injuries and stretched out my limbs to make sure my joints were stable. They were. I turned to see the damage I had done. I could easily jump back out an in again.

I leapt out and pulled the wooden figurine back into my pocket. I threw my rucksack through the window into the room beyond and grabbed my suitcase. I leapt through the gap and looked around properly. The house looked relatively intact. Obviously the State Military thought that the boarded up windows and reputation of the man who lived here was enough to keep everyone out.

Still, the home was pleasant enough. I considered staying for a while. After all it had been a while since I had a real bed to sleep on. I picked up my bag by one of its straps and made my way out of the dusty room. I came out into the hall and quickly began to climb the staircase. The dusty house was slightly eerie, but I had seen and done far worse in my time.

I finally found my way into a bedroom. There were two beds. One looked like a giant had been sleeping in it. A permanent groove of a monumental and heavy form embedded in the mattress. I decided that when it came down to it I would sleep in the other bed. I threw my bag and my suitcase on the bed and left the room. It took an hour of searching to find the library.

Rows and rows of books and folders were lined up along the walls. Small islands made of book shelves stood in the middle of the room. All my hopes had been confirmed. The library was intact. There wasn't even a speck of dust or grim on any of the books.

I pulled a few books off of the shelves at random and turned back to walk to the bedroom. The library was a little creepy for my tastes. It seemed to house way too many ghosts for my tastes. I lugged the books to my room. I set them out on the floor and switched the light on.

I sat on the bed and began reading the first book I could lay my hand on. It felt good to be reading once again. I never felt complete without a book in my hands. Either that or when I was practising alchemy. The latter brought a bitter pang to my chest. Spiritually speaking of course. Realistically there isn't anything to be pulled in my chest. Except maybe a few nuts and bolts.

By the time I had finished reading the sky was dark. I checked the pocket watch I kept with me, a counterfeit version of the one carried by State Alchemists. It was nearly eleven o'clock. I sighed and put the book down. I lay on my back, hands under my head and waited for sleep to come and find me.

It was going to be another rough night.

(^)

_My hands were slick with sweet as I placed them on the outside of the Transmutation Circle. I looked up and she gave me a reassuring nod. I made a nervous smile and looked at the small mound of ingredients in the circle. Everything was set. I had followed the instructions to the letter. All that remained was to start the process, to turn these materials into the most precious one of all._

_I could do it right? Of course I could. With her by my side I could do practically anything. I took a breath and steadied myself. This was it. No turning back._

_The circle glowed with life. The objects in the centre swirled into a single seething mass. I smiled, feeling confident. It was working! I was actually doing it!_

_And then it went wrong._

_The light of the circle's power turned an evil purple. My smiled turned to a look of shock. I looked over to her and saw her terrified expression. I tried to pull my hands off of the circle, tried to stop the madness, but my hands seemed fused to the wooden floor._

_The ingredients in the centre converged in on themselves, pressing tightly together. And then my world descended into a maelstrom of shrapnel and noise and pain._

(^)

I sat bolt upright in my bed, eyes wide, breath ragged. My gaze whipped around the room. After asserting where I was I placed my head into my hands. I sobbed freely, black tears streaming down my face and dirtying my hands.

"Maria," I chocked. "I'm sorry."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Clockwork Alchemist**

**The Lord of All Chaos**

Chapter Two

_Equivalent Exchange. One of the first laws of alchemy. In order to receive, one must lose something of equal value. No matter what I gained however, it would never be enough to return the scales to their balanced position. I have already lost far too much and given up just as much. No matter what I receive for this punishment, it will be a token gesture. _

It was hard to return to sleep in the empty Tucker mansion. It was creepy let's just say that much at least. Too many spiders as well. Now I don't like spiders. Not because they scare me or anything. No they climb into me while I'm asleep and start setting up webs inside me. You think I'm joking? I'm really not.

Moonlight spilled in through the window, bright enough for me to read by. And read I did. I crossed my legs and read the books of alchemy and the notes that Tucker had made of Biological Transmutation. The Sewing-Life Alchemist was indeed quite the genius. Unhinged yes, but a genius nonetheless.

Another book closed and I placed it gently on the floor. The book had been useful, but it hadn't been _useful_. It had had alchemic notes and tips but none of it was on the alchemy I needed. I looked around the room and sighed. I had finished all the books I had brought up from the library.

I slowly picked each one up and made the journey through the shadowed hallways towards the library. Something about the fact that this was a dead madman's house made me feel insecure. It was kind of like Shou Tucker was following me. The cackling laughter of insanity rattling around the mansion. I stopped and shook myself. I had seen far too much to start believing that the dead could return on their own. That would perhaps break my sanity in its entirety.

The library seemed more unsettling in the dark. I flicked the light switch, not expecting much and so was surprised when I saw that the filaments flared into life, albeit dimmer than they would have been some years ago. I placed the books I had returned down on the floor and began to select a new pile of books to read. Like last time I began to pull books off of the shelves at random, tugging at tomes both big and small, thick and thin.

In about five minutes I had compiled about two dozen books. I was a little surprised when I realized how carried away I had gotten with the amount of books. There was no point in putting any of them back however. I picked up the mountainous pile of books and began to walk slightly unsteadily back to my room.

A crash from downstairs alerted my attention. I placed the books back down on the floor and leaned over the balcony to get a look at what had caused the noise. My eyes widened and a small, dark smile crossed my face. Apparently Shou Tucker's books weren't the only things to be left behind by the State.

A Chimera was prowling the ground floor. It was large and powerful. It had the body of a lion, but with the wings of an eagle seamlessly sprouting from its shoulders, large enough to carry the beast into the air. Even more elegant was the scorpion tail that replaced the lion's own, a huge, black segmented curved piece of flesh that hung over the chimera's body, a drop of venom, oozing from the tip. The chimera's body was a dull red colour, its wings midnight black like its tail and its mane a deep grey.

The more I saw of it, the more nervous I grew of approaching the beast. It was clearly powerful, and obviously no novice in a battle. Deep, bloody scars were gouged into its body, some of them old, some of them quite recent, still dripping the chimera's sickly green blood, mixed with yellow pus.

I couldn't estimate how old the chimera was but judging from the scars and the way the beast patrolled as if it owned the place I could guess that this was an alpha male if there could be such a thing. Powerful and dominant, in its fighting prime and ready to assert his role as leader over all who dared to challenge him.

I felt it my obligation to knock this arrogant beast off of his metaphorical high-horse. This could be a test of my combat-alchemy. It had been awhile since I had had something to duff-up, as the phrase goes.

I pulled the sky blue glove off of my right hand, revealing the symbol apparently branded into my own skin. A Transmutation Circle. The symbol that allowed all alchemy to take place, aside the alchemy brought on by a Philosopher's Stone or something of the like.

A spider dropped into my open palm. I crushed it without a moment's hesitation. I hate spiders. I flicked the destroyed carcass of the arthropod off of my hand and grabbed the banister. With a mighty heave, it managed to pull away a sizeable chunk of the wood railing. It really hadn't required all that effort. The wood was rotten and blackened with age. I would be doing it a service to change it into something far more useful.

I gripped the rotting piece of wood, ignoring the fact that my fingers were sinking into it. The Transmutation Circle on the back of my right hand glowed with a determined blue light and the wood glowed with the same aura. As I gripped the glowing material harder, I pictured what I wanted. I could feel the glowing substance change beneath my grasp. It had become like water only more substantial. Flowing, moving, twisting and warping into the form I desired from it.

The blue light dispersed, breaking away like glass. I was now gripping a blade of black stone. The sudden weight was not a surprise. Although the stone was black, it gleamed with a reflective sheen. A blade of obsidian. A personal favourite alchemic creation.

I gave a few practise swings, a satisfying hiss coming from the blade as it parted through the air. Pleased with my result I dropped into a low crouch, keeping the chimera in sight all the while. The beast hadn't seemed to have noticed the sound of me ripping wood from the banister, or seen the light of a Transmutation.

At least I should have the element of surprise on my side.

The chimera stomped its paws loudly and gave a small growling sound. I froze, fearing that I had been noticed. But the chimera simple resumed its prowling; dismissing whatever had caught its attention. I decided not to let this chance go to waste.

I dashed down the staircase as quietly as I could, the chimera still no noticing my approach. It seemed more preoccupied with sniffing at the front door. Then it gave a growl and began to claw at the wood.

My heart leapt. If that thing made it out into the street it would not only mean a lot of innocent people would get hurt, but there would be investigations from the State, and all of Tucker's books and research would be hefted away. Although my reasons were marginally selfless, there was of course the selfish streak in me that told me to keep the books safe for as long as possible. I quickly crept up behind the chimera and, with one sharp swing, sliced its tail off.

The chimera gave a pain roar of fury and rounded on me. I gave a challenging glare to the beast and raised my obsidian sword, the blade already stained with green blood. The chimera snorted at my challenge and lunged.

I ducked a swipe of heavy claws and turned again, slashed with one hand on the hilt of my sword, as if it were nothing but an oversized rounder's bat. The blade clipped a few of the chimera's eagle wings. The beast landed heavily on the ground, splitting a few of the floorboards and shaking dust from the ceiling. The chimera rounded on me again but this time I was going to have first pop.

I dashed straight at the beast, intent on driving my blade straight down its throat. The monster roared and gave a mighty beat of its wings, sending a mighty gust of wind at me. I was shocked when I was lifted off of me feet and blown back a metre. However I touched back down to Earth with a loud 'clunk'.

The little time I had spent airborne had allowed the chimera a little breathing space. It pounced at me, jaws wide, eyes hungry for flesh. I raised my arm in defence as the jaws of the chimera closed around it. Its fangs caught on my skin, unable to break through. I smiled despite the situation. My workmanship stood up to scratch as per usual.

If the chimera could look surprised, this one probably did right now. I wrenched my arm from its jaws and stabbed with my obsidian sword. The blade nicked the beast's neck but cut straight through its left wing.

The beast roared as the wing fell to the ground, feathers flying around like snow, green blood spraying everywhere. The chimera reared up on its hind legs. Not one to miss an advantage, I drove my sword straight through the beasts chest, right up to the hilt so I was certain that it had come out of the other side.

The chimera had stopped its cries now, instead emitting a strained gargling noise. I noticed that the creature's blood was sliding over my hands, gloved left and bare right. I withdrew the blade and ducked aside as the dying creature fell to the ground. I looked it into the eye and felt a pang of pity for the beast.

It hadn't chosen this path. Not really. It had been forced to become something that it wasn't, against all the laws of nature. I saw the pain in its eyes, not just from its many wounds but from its individual parts. All the different animals were in so much pain. A perfect Transmutation, right down to the core. And all the pieces were trying to tear away from each other.

I placed my hand on its head and stroked its grey mane. I whispered hushed words of comfort to the beast. Eventually its ragged breathing ceased. My fingers tangled in its mane and for a single moment I was no longer kneeling on the floor of the Tucker mansion before the dead form of a chimera.

I was back home, kneeling in the wreckage of what had once been my front room. Him, lying before me, his glassy eyes focussed upon my face. His blood staining the knees of my pyjamas. The rain, lashing in through the broken front door. My sobs that filled the room.

For a moment I was once again a scared little six year old looking into the face of the dead.

I jerked myself back to the present, scrambling away and backing away from the chimera. I couldn't look back. I wouldn't look back. It was too painful for me to even conceive. So much loss. It was so hard for me to bear.

I stared at the ground, ignoring the fact that the chimera's green blood was pooling around my feet. I sighed and turned back to the staircase. A few minutes later I was back in my room, a book in my hand, wondering. Wondering if I would ever get my hands on the information that I so desperately needed.


End file.
